Ultra Niche! A Complete Guide to Tongling, Anhui's Hidden Gem, with Local Tips!

🚄【Transport】
Shanghai to Tongling: 3-3.5hrs

🏨【Hotels】
Jinjiang Inn (Tongling Wanda Branch)
Hanting Hotel (Tongling Wanda Branch)

🗺️【Attractions】
📍Tongling Museum
A must-visit to explore the millennia-old copper culture.

📍West Lake Wetland Park
Next to the museum. During our visit, the sky was filled with cumulus clouds, and the vast lawns made it feel like a real-life "Castle in the Sky." Highly recommended for a relaxing stroll if the weather is cool.

📍Liqiao Water Town
👉🏻Parking requires a restaurant reservation (book via dzdp and cancel later).
👉🏻Rich in performances—our favorite was the iron-flower show! Bamboo-stilt walking was thrilling too.
👉🏻The Huizhou-style architecture is stunning and photogenic.

📍Yongquan Town
👉🏻30-minute taxi ride from downtown.
👉🏻A man-made spot worth visiting, great for Hanfu photos. Hot springs in winter make it ideal for elders.
👉🏻Food plaza uses copper coins (60 RMB for 20 coins, refundable). Taste is average, but stir-fried rice noodles are decent.
💡Shuttle buses run between the entrance and "Twelve Scenes of Jiangnan," a hiking route (~3 hours round-trip, tiring even for fitness enthusiasts).
💡Skip the hike: Take the escalator up and slide down the glass slide (super fun!).
💡Holiday performances available.

📍Datong Ancient Town
👉🏻Less commercialized, accessible by ferry, full of local charm.
👉🏻Home to a freshwater dolphin reserve (12 finless porpoises; separate ticket required).

👉🏻Kawankaka
Anhui’s local milk tea chain! Drank it three times—must-try!
🌟Recs:
Black Full Set Milk Tea
Mango Pomelo Sago
Jasmine Green Snow
Osmanthus Yogurt
Coconut Qingbuliang

👉🏻Xiaocaiyuan New Huizhou Cuisine
A chain but consistently delicious!
🌟Recs:
Iron Pot Free-Range Chicken
Huizhou Stinky Mandarin Fish
Braised Tofu
Dry Pot Deer Antler Mushrooms
Hand-Held Ribs
Stone Pot Garlic Shrimp
Crispy Rice with Fish Sauce

👉🏻Yuling Spicy Veggies (Renmin 3rd Road)
A childhood favorite of locals, intensely flavorful and huge portions—perfect for salty-spicy lovers!
🌟Recs:
Rice Noodle Spicy Veggies
Rice Flour Spicy Veggies

👉🏻Original Hongxing Pengji Liangpi
The Anhui-style liangpi I craved for days! Unique mix of rice skin, noodles, and flour, with jellyfish—perfectly balanced sweet, sour, and spicy.

Portions are huge (even a small serving stuffed me). Ask for less spice if needed.

👉🏻SCHNAUZER Café
Hidden in a residential area, French-style decor (great for photos). Desserts are tasty; coffee is meh.
🌟Recs:
Oreo Sea Salt Cheesecake
Matcha Earl Grey
Valrhona Chocolate Mille Crepe
Lychee Rose Sparkle

🎁【Souvenirs】
Tongling White Ginger (SOOO good!)
Tongling Crispy Candy
Zhanji Peach Shortbread